Earth handling implement



March 5, 1957 c. H. BROWN 2,783,560

EARTH HANDLING IMPLEMENT Original Filed Sept. 9, 1947 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 49 e8 ,INVENTOR.

CHAR LE|8.H. BROWN ms ATTORNEY March 5, 1957 EARTH HANDLING IMPLEMENT Original Filed Sept. 9, 1947 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. CHARLES HBROWN H l5 14 T TORI/ r March 1957 c. H. BROWN 2,783,560

EARTH HANDLING IMPLEMENT Original Filed Sept. 9, 1947 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR.

CHARLES H. BROWN ms Armmsr United States Patent" EARTH HANDLING IMPLEMENT Charles H. Brown, Fort Worth, Tex.; Gladys Brown Cames, executrix of said Charles H. Brown, deceased, assignor of one-half to'Josie M. Brown, one-tenth to Ruth Brown McCluney, one-tenth to Mildred Brown Turns, one-tenth to Gladys Brown Carnes, one-tenth to Charles H. Brown, Jr., and one-tenth to Vivian Brown Hamilton, Fort Worth, Tex.

Original application September 9, 1947, Serial No. 772,935, now Patent No. 2,648,919, dated August 13, 1953. Divided and this application December 8, 1952, Serial No. 324,793

3 Claims. (Cl. 37-167) This application is a division of Serial No. 772,935, filed September 9, 1947, now Patent No. 2,648,919, granted August 18, 1953.

This invention relates to improvements in earth handling implements, and more particularly to an implement, the mechanism of which may be rearranged so as to adapt a single implement to the performance of various types of earth handling work.

Various earth handling implements have been proposed heretofore, but they have been limited in their scope of operation and therefore a different type of implement was required for the different types of earth handling work.

In the present invention the basic parts of the mechanism are so constructed as to lend themselves to rearrangement, so that one implement may be adapted to perform a variety of earth handling operations, as for example digging ditches, filling ditches, grading and leveling, the building of terraces, levees and the like.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a machine, the mechanism of which may be rearranged so as to perform a variety of dirt handling operations with a single machine.

Another object of this invention is to provide a dirt handling implement that may be connected to a tractor in such manner that the implement may be raised and lowered with a conventional tractor power lift so that the entire unit is supported by the tractor, when the unit is in raised position.

Another object of this invention is to provide a dirt handling implement that may be raised by the power lift of a tractor in progressive stages so that the entire weight of the implement will not be put on the tractor while said implement is still engaged in the earth.

Still another object of this invention is to provide an implement which, with the mechanism arranged in one way, can be used to form a V-type ditch with a flat bottom.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide an implement which has a wide range of adjustments for making ditches, back filling, grading and other earth handling operations. 4

The present implement is so arranged and constructed that, by reassembly and adjustment of the mechanism, various types of earth handling machines are provided,

thus making it possible to do, with one machine, the work that has heretofore required the use of several different machines.

This implement is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. l is a top plan view of the implement showing the parts thereof arranged so as to provide a ditching machine, and with the power lift bar of the tractor shown in dot-dash outline;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view thereof;

2,783,560 Patented Mar. 5, 1957 ice Fig. 3 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the front end portion of the implement, with the parts arranged as a ditcher;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 3, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows;

Fig. 7 is a rear end View of the moldboard blades of the implement, with certain portions broken away and other parts removed to show the details of construction;

Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken on the line 8-8 of Fig. 3, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows; and

Fig. 9 is a sectional view taken on the line 9-9 of Fig. 3, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows.

With more detailed reference to the drawings, Figs. 1 to 9, inclusive, these illustrate the implement as formed to operate as a ditcher which is attached to the power lift draw bar of a tractor, which draw bar is designated as D and usually is a conventional part of a farm type tractor T. The power lift draw bar D has central clamps 2 which are bolted into binding engagement with the tractor draw bar D in side-by-side relation, approximately in the center thereof. The clamps 2 extend rearwardly from the draw bar to form lugs 4, to which plow beams 6, positioned in side-by-side relation, are attached by bolts 8. The bolts 8 are adapted to pass through the lugs and through the plow beams to secure the beams in fixed relation to the lugs.

While the plow beams 6, to meet the needs of the present adaptation, are shown to be curved so that the beams project forward when the foot portions project downward, it is to be understood that variations in tractor construction will require that the shape of the plow beam be adapted to conform to the requirements of the particular tractor, and a beam that extends vertically instead of forwardly might be required.

A plow, generally designated at 9, has a moldboard 10 and a plow point 11. A U-shaped member 12 is provided and secured to the'moldboard 10 as by welding, as will best be seen in Fig. 5. The U-shaped member 12 extends a substantial length of the moldboard 10 and has bolts 14 and 16 which pass therethrough to secure the plowbeam 6 in rigid relation with the U-member 12. The U-member 12 has a loop 18 secured at the bottom portion thereof and which loop projects rearwardly in such position as to loosely embrace the lower end of an adjustment member, generally designated as 20. The upper end of the adjustment member 20 is pivoted to lugs 22 of U-member 12 by bolt 24, as will best be seen in Figs. 3 and 5. The adjustment member 20 is adapted for limited pivotal movement around bolt 24 within the confines of U-member 12 and loop 18.

The adjustment member 20 is preferably square tubular stock, as will best been seen in Figs. 4 and 5, and has a cap 26 to close the upper end of said member and a shoulder 28 positioned immediately below said cap, which cap and shoulder are held in place by bolts 30. The cap 26'and shoulder 28 confine a boss 32 of the rod 34 so as to permit rotary movement of the rod 34, but said boss 32 constrains the rod 34 against longitudinal move ment.- The rod 34 is threaded at its lower end and adapted for engagement with threaded nut 36, which threaded nut 36 is secured to the upper end of a square member 38 which is slidably positioned within the square tube of the adjustment member 20. The sli-dable member 38 has a transverse hole 40 ltherethrough to receive a bolt 42. The bolt 42 extends outward through,:s1ots-. 4 on either side. of ,square'tubul' e through lugs of a universal pivot member 46, as will be A more fully described hereinafter.

The threaded rod 34 passes through nut 36 into an axial opening within slidable member 38 which, upon turning of the rod 34, moves the slidable member 38 upward or downward to move bolt 42, carrying the universal pivot member 46, so as to adjust a follower plow, generally designated as 48, with respect to the plow 9.

The plow 48 has a blade 49 on the lower edge thereof, which blade has substantially a Straight lower side and a concave forward surface so as to form a fiat bottom in the ditch made by the plow 9, of substantially the width that the blade is long. The blade 49 is so constructed that it may be reversed and will thus give double wearing qualities thereto. The construction of the blade 49 is also such as to cause the dirt to roll forward and be urged vertically upward until engaged by the angular upper portion of the plow 48. When the dirt reaches a point near the top of the plow 48, lateral projections 51 will throw the dirt ahead of ditcher moldboards 60, which will prevent an overflow of dirt between these moldboards.

The follower plow 48 has a lug 50 welded to the front thereof, which lug has holes therethrough adapted to receive bolts 52 to hold downwardly depending bars 54 in secure relation with the lug 50. The bars 54 are spread at their lower ends and are adapted to receive a block 55 which has trunnion pins 56 formed thereon so as to give a pivotal movement of the block about the horizontal axis thereof (Fig. 8).

A bolt 58 passes through universal connection block 55 at right angles to pivot pins 56 so as to give lateral swinging movement about pivot 58, which pivot bolt 58 is slightly at an angle to the vertical.

With the universal connection 46 mounted on bolt 42, adjustment thereof may be made by screw threaded rod 34, within the limits of slots 44 so as to raise or lower the follower plow 48 with respect to the plow point 11 of the plow 9. A pivotal movement between the moldboard plow 9 and the follower plow 48 is accorded by the universal connection 46 pivoting on pins 56. By having the adjustment member 20 confined within loop 18, the universal connection 46 will compensate to hold the follower plow 48 a short distance behind the plow 9, and makes it possible for the mechanism to make relatively short turns. The universal joint 46 will also allow pivotal movement of the follower plow 48 about the horizontal axis on pivot pin 56 which will permit raising the plow 9 a substantial distance out of the ground before the pair of upright arms 64 tighten the loose linkage connection 62, which loose linkage is attached to the lever at the forward end of said linkage and at the rear thereof it is attached to the moldboard 60 of the ditcher. This will enable the lifting of the ground engaging mechanism in stages which will make possible the lifting of much larger plows with a smaller tractor than has heretofore been possible, due to the fact that, in the present invention, the plows are lifted in stages.

Attached to the rear portion of the plow 48 is 9. lug 66 which lug has out-turned opposite ears or portions 68 which have bolts 70 threadably engaging therein and adapted to project therethrough to form a pivot for lugs 72 mounted on the forward ends of moldboards 60. The lugs 72 have recesses formed therein to receive the re duced ends of bolts 70 so as to permit vertical and angular adjustments of blades 60. The forward end of each moldboard 60 has an car 74 secured thereto, as by welding, and which ears are slotted to receive a bolt 76. Positioned along the rear upper portions of the moldboards 60 are ears 78 having a plurality of holes 79 therethrough, to receive bolts 80. Blade posts 81 are adapted to he secured to a bar 83 and to depend downwardly therefrom, and which blade posts are adapted to receive bolts 80 and 84 therethrough to secure blade posts and ea'rstogether. Immediately below each car 78 is a pair of lugs 82 through which a bolt 84 passes and which bolt also passes through the lower end of post 81 to bein align-- ment with the bolt 70 so as to form an axial pivot along the lower portion of each moldboard 60. When the moldboards 60 are each properly adjusted to the same vertical and angular position, a bolt is passed through the desired hole 79 and through post 81; then the bolt 76 is tightened to secure the cars 74 together and thus hold the moldboards 60 in fixed adjusted positions.

A cutter blade 86 is disposed along the lower edge of moldboard 6t and is secured thereto by bolts 88. The cutter blade 86 is longitudinally concave and of a relatively short radius, which radius is tangential with the radius of the longitudinally concave moldboard 60. By having the moldboard constructed in this manner, the nose portion of the moldboard will follow closely the follower plow 48 and cut the edges from the ditch formed by the plows 9 and 48 so as to give a ditch with downwardly converging sides and a flat bottom.

The wheels 90 are rotatably mounted on axles disposed on semi-flexible shanks 92, which shanks 92 are clamped to bar 83 by clamps 94. The shank 92 may be adjusted vertically and clamp 94 tightened to secure the shank in binding relation with the bar 83. The wheels 90 are adjusted so as to support the rear portions of the mold boards 60 while the implement is being transported from one place to another, and to regulate the depth of the cut of ditcher moldboards 60. The plow 48 carrying the forward ends of moldboards 60, may be raised or lowered by adjustment screw 34 so as to obtain relative adjustment between plow 9 and the moldboards 60.

Loose linkage arrangement 96 is provided to connect the draw bar D with transverse bar 83, so that this loose linkage arrangement 96 will sway brace the ditcher and prevent side sway while the machine is being transported.

Bars 98 are attached to angles 100, which angles are positioned on the inner, lower sides of moldboards 60. The opposite ends of said bars 98 are positioned in overiapping relation and each has a series of holes 102 therein, which are adapted to register with the holes of the overlapping bar so that bolts 104 may be used to secure the bars together and hold the rear portions of the blades 60 at the desired spaced distance from each other. When the blades are properly spaced to obtain the desired divergence, posts 81 are clamped to transverse bar 83 by bolts 106.

In the operation of the device as described above, ditches, such as irrigation and drainage ditches, may be accurateiy and expeditiously formed, at comparatively small cost, and to conform to modern engineering practices. The implement with the mechanism thereof arranged as illustrated in Figs. 1 to 9, inclusive, may be adjusted to construct a flat bottom ditch with sloping sides. Sides of a ditch so formed have much greater endurance, than if formed with straight sides, and a minimum of impedance is given to any fluid that must be passed therethrough.

To construct a ditch in this manner, the implement is connected to a power lift draw bar D, which draw bar is attached to the rear portion of the tractor T. The plow is lowered into the ground to the proper depth, by the manipulation of the power lift draw bar D. With the plow 9 positioned to the proper depth, the threaded rod 34 is rotated until the follower plow, generally designated as 48, is positioned to the proper depth with respect to 'the plow 9; then, by the proper adjustment, the ditcher is lowered into position, and may be set into operation so as to give, normally, a finished irrigation ditch or drainage ditch at one passage of the machine over the terrain. However, if it is desired, a ditch may be enlarged, but with the walls maintained in substantially the same angular relation to the wall of the ditch as originally formed, by passing the machine over the same ditch a second time.

One of the pronounced characteristics of the plow 9 is the particular manner in which the point and moldboard are constructed. The point 11 carries a rather.

widely diverging obtuse angle, which angle converges at varying degrees, from approximately degrees at the place where the point joins to the moldboard 10. The moldboard is likewise distorted so that the angle will vary from approximately 120 degrees where it joins the point 11 to approximately 90 degrees at the upper-most part. By this particular construction the machine is given the unusual characteristic of loosening the earth to the depth of the ditch, with the point 11 acting as a wedge; the ground is initially broken from the bottom and sides of the ditch, due to this distorted shape of the point and moldboard, which starts as a wide obtuse angle and is reduced to approximately 90 degrees at the top; which causes the earth to be first lifted directly upward by the point 11, to follow the moldboard vertically upward through a spiral, to be thrown outward, which results in a ditch substantially the width of the plow.

This particular construction of the machine gives it the unusual characteristics of loosening the earth to the depth of the ditch and causing it to boil directly upward with just sufficient angular divergence to throw the earth clear of the ditch. The follower plow 48 may be adjusted so that the flat bottom point blade 49 will dig slightly below the bottom of the furrow opened by the point 11. Since the curvature of the plow point blade is cylindrical and transverse with respect to the furrow being opened, the dirt will be caused to move vertically upward along the face of the follower plow 48, which plow has an angular divergence, to pass the dirt outward as it moves forward along the ditch. The wings 51 on the follower plow 48 transfer the dirt being moved from the ditch to a point ahead of the spreader moldboards 60. The cutter blade 86, disposed on the lower portion of moldboard 60, will cut away the side of the ditch so as to form a substantially V-shaped ditch with a flat bottom,

as the tractor pulls the machine along.

The present ditcher, as designed, requires less horsepower for the lifting of the ditching mechanism from the ground than has heretofore been possible. With ditchers that have been in use heretofore, much power has been required to raise the plow from the ground, once it has been put into operating position. The present machine is so constructed and has the various connections so arranged that the plow 9 is raised by the rotation of the draw bar D of the tractor T. After the plow 9 has been raised clear of the ground, or nearly so, the universal connection 46 between the plows 9 and 48 has not lifted the moldboards 60 appreciably. However, upon continued rotation of draw bar D to which arms 64 are attached and rotatable therewith, the loose linkage 62 is engaged so as to lift the rear portions of moldboards 60 clear of the ground. By lifting the plow 9 in one stage and the moldboards 60 in another stage of the power requirement to do this lifting in this manner is greatly reduced, making possible the use of a much smaller tractor.

It is to be pointed out that the cross bars 96 are attached to the transverse bar 83 and to draw bar D so as to sway-brace the device while being transported. It has been previously pointed out that both the vertical adjustment of the moldboards and the angular divergence thereof with respect to each other may be varied and held in the desired adjusted position to obtain the desired form of ditch.

It is to be appreciated that the versatility of this machine to perform the various earth handling operations, by the convertibility mechanism, is a great saver in time, labor and investment in machinery, and that the transition from one type of machine is quickly and easily accomplished, and requires no special skills or equipment.

I claim:

1. In a machine of the character described, the combination of an elongated beam extending fore and aft of the machine, a pair of moldboards, means connecting the moldboards with the beam at one end of the latter and with the moldboards extending in laterally diverging relation from said means, a cross bar extending transversely over both the moldboards intermediate the ends thereof, posts secured to the cross bar adjacent each moldboard, and means adjustably connecting each post with the adjacent moldboard for adjusting the positions of the moldboards.

2. In a machine of the character described, the combination of an elongated beam extending fore and aft of the machine, a pair of moldboards, means connecting the moldboards with the beam at one end of the latter and with the moldboards extending in laterally diverging relation from said means, a cross bar extending transversely over both the moldboards intermediate the ends thereof, posts secured to the cross bar adjacent each moldboard, means for securing the posts to the cross bar in adjusted positions along the length thereof, and means adjustably connecting each post with the adjacent moldboard for adjusting the positions of the moldboards.

3. In a machine of the character described, the combination of an elongated beam extending fore and aft of the machine and adapted to be connected at one end with a tractor, a plow mounted on the opposite end of the beam, a pair of moldboards extending rearwardly from the plow with the forward ends thereof in close proximity to each other and extending rearwardly in diverging relation from each other, means connecting the adjacent forward ends of the moldboards with the rear end of the beam, a cross bar extending transversely over the moldboards adjacent the rear ends thereof, posts connected with the cross bar and extending downwardly beside the respective moldboards, and means connecting the posts with the moldboards.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,233,874 Hamilton July 17, 1917 1,671,939 Smith May 29, 1928 2,045,426 West June 23, 1936 2,063,537 Beard Dec. 8, 1936 2,147,193 Durr Feb. 14, 1939 2,229,210 Kerber Jan. 21, 1941 2,333,837 Wibbels Nov. 9,1943 2,644,252 Brown July 7, 1953 

